Abstract: A method of improving fermentation, by heating stillage to a temperature of 200 degrees F. to 350 degrees F. resulting in hydrothermally treated stillage, removing from the hydrothermally treated stillage some or all of a composition of suspended solids, dissolved solids, oil, proteins, fiber, or ash, removing some or all of the dissolved solids from the hydrothermally treated stillage by a mechanism of membranes, biological remediation, anaerobic digestion, electro-dialysis, ion exchange, evaporation, gas-stripping, distillation, solvent extraction, or precipitation, using all or a portion of the hydrothermally treated stillage as a component of a media, and using the media for a process of fermentation or biomass production. Metabolites, biomass, media, and hydrothermally treated stillage can be obtained and recovered by this method. Oil, a protein-containing solids fraction, stickwater and a de-oiled stickwater concentrate can be obtained and recovered by this method.